inundation

[ in-uhn-dey-shuhn, -uhn- ]

noun

1. the condition of being flooded:

   Researchers are warning that accelerated sea level change threatens hundreds of thousands of coastal homes with inundation.

2. a flood:

   Areas shaded in purple on the map may see an inundation of 3 to 12 feet.

3. the condition or state of being overwhelmed:

   Angkor Wat, the magnificent temple of the Khmer Empire, faces inundation by tourists and environmental dangers.

Other Words From

• su·per·in·un·da·tion noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of inundation¹

First recorded in 1400–50; from Latin inundātiōn-, stem of inundātiō “a flooding,” from inundāre “to flood, overflow”; inundate ( def ), -ion ( def )

Example Sentences

The inundation decimated farmland already ravaged by a series of storms.

From Salon

Much of that 19th century system survives, in updated form — and its vulnerability to inundation has been only partly countered by the pre-Olympics cleanup binge.

From Los Angeles Times

One farmer told WFP that he was struggling to feed his family of six after losing his crops to floods, and was living in a temporary shelter with other families displaced by the inundation.

From Seattle Times

Eleven rivers were in a major flooding stage on Sunday, which means the flooding had caused an excessive inundation of roads and structures and required significant evacuations.

From New York Times

Ponding water also was found hundreds of meters inland near buildings and other structures, providing evidence of the extent of inundation resulting from the storm.

From Science Daily